Monday 20th August 2018

We were up early today, packed up and I had to reverse partway down the drive to dump the grey waste and then drive back into the site to do a U turn and then we could leave at 9.15. We went a short way down the A17 back towards Spalding and then turned on to the A151 and eventually joined the A16 towards the A1. There were lots of speed cameras across the fens and we saw one multi car accident at a crossroads being dealt with by the Police. We joined the A1 and were having a great run until we got just past St Neots when the A1 became stationary, we crept along and then stopped right by a junction so I decided to turn off and to let the sat nav re-route us. Initially it wanted us to turn around and rejoin the A1 but I continued and found a B road running parallel to the A1 and took that and then the sat nav re-routed and we sailed down the bumpy B road for about 10 miles and then rejoined the A1 and it was a clear as anything. Looking later on Google maps there are major roadworks on the A1 between St Neots and Sandy. We stopped at Baldock services for coffee and whilst there we heard the news of a serious accident on the M25 with the motorway closed clockwise near where we would join it. We turned off the A1 and onto the A414 at Hatfield and joined the M25. Unfortunately due to rubber neckers and a broken down vehicle on our carriageway the motorway was down to two lanes. Hundreds of vehicles ignored the red lane closed signs and sailed on at crazy speeds and there was no sign of any enforcement, I wonder if the gantry speed cameras do anything about it. The remainder of our journey on the M25 was subject to variable speed limits of between 40 and 60mph but we eventually made the M4 turn off. Down the M4 to junction 7 and off onto the A4. We stopped at a large Tesco about 10 minutes from the site and stocked up on provisions, this took best part of an hour. It has surprised me than none of the UK supermarkets that we have visited have large parking bays for motorhomes unlike French and Spanish ones.

After the shopping we made our way down some local roads and on to a single track lane down to Amerden Park campsite right by the Thames and unfortunately right next to the M4 so it is a bit noisy. Reading, some washing, writing the blog and a bit of TV took up the afternoon.